Hopper for filling machines



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Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES CHESLEY T. SMALL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.'

HOPPER FOR FILLING MACHINES.

Application led January 3, 1928. Serial No. 244,218.

My invention relatesto hoppers f or supplying powdered material to cantilllng machines or the like, andvpartlcularly to such hoppers of largesize holding a great quantity of material.A I have found t-hat 1n suchhoppers the weight of the material causes 1t to become tightly packed 1nthe lower part of the hopper so thatwhen it is loosened by the agitatorsand passes out through the discharge nozzle the bulk of the materialw1ll be maintained in position by the packed powder until a'considerable cavity is formed around the agitators. After a time theentlre mass will drop owing to the breaking down of the roof of thecavity by the weight of the material. This is not only injurious to thehopper but also causes irregularity of the filling machine supplied bythe hopper. It is the object of my invention to provide a hoppcr inwhich the material will be fed uniformly without the formation ofcavities therein and the consequent dropping en masse of materialtherein.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of hopper madein accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a Vertical section; Figure2 is an enlarged section through the upper end of one of the vent pipes;and Figure 3 is an enlarged section of one of the bearing boxes.

rIhe hopper which, in the drawings is shown as suspended from a ceiling1, is composed of an upper cylindrical part 2. and a lower conical part3 terminating in a discharge nozzle 4. I have found that the angle ofthe walls of the conical part 3 is of importance in securing the desiredresults and that an angle of degrees from the perpendicular is moreelective than a larger or smaller-anglo. The nozzle is provided with acut-off4 plate 5 and has passing through it an agitator shaft 6 ournaledin brackets 7 secured to the conical part of the hopper. Secured to oneend of shaft 6 is a driving pulley 8 and to the other a gear wheel 9..Meshing with the gear 9 is a gear 10 mounted on an agitator shaft 11passing through the hopper Ajust above the nozzle and journaledin thebracket 7. Iheel 9 is smaller than wheel. 10 so that shaft 11 will bedriven at a somewhat slower rate of speed than shaft 6. On the shaft 11is a second gear wheel 12 meshing with a gear wheel 13' on` an agitatorshaft 14 passing through the hopper above the shaft 11. Wheel 12 issmaller than wheel 13 so that shaft 14 will be driven at a still slowerspeed than shaft 11. Shaft 14 is journaled in brackets 7 and preferablyalso has the end adjacent to wheel 13 supported by an auxiliary bearingcarried by arm 15 depending from one of said brackets. The other bracketis also provided with a similar arm so that the gearing may be placed atthe opposite side of the hopper when so desired. In order to preventescape of powder around the shaft 14 I make the bearing boxes 24 follow,as shown in Figure 3, and provide it, at its upper side, with an opening25 through which packing material 26, such as cotton waste may beintroduced. The shafts 11 and 6 are also preferably provided withsimilar packed bearings 27 .and 28, respectively.

Powder is introduced into the hopper through opening 16 in theceiling 1. Adjacent to the sides of this opening are a pair .of hangers17 carrying a supporting bar 18 on which vent pipes 19 are mounted sothat `their lower ends, which terminate adjacent to the agitator shaft14, will be free to swing.. This swinging mounting is preferably se.-oured by passing the shaft 18 through holes 20 (Figure 2) in the wallsof the pipes 19 adjacent to the upper ends. In order to prevent theentrance of the powder into the upper ends of the vent pipes and theconsequent choking when the hopper is filled, I provide the pipes withcaps 21 preferably conical in form. These caps are carried by collars 22sliding on the pipes and so are readily removable to give access to theinterior of the pipes for cleaning. Notches 23 formed in the upper endsof the pipes provide free passage of air into or out of the pipes.

By the use of the proper inclination of the side of the hopper, togetherwith agitators increasing in speed toward the lower end of the hopperand vent pipes free to swing in the hopper adjacent to the agitatorshaft, I overcome the formation of cavities in the material in thehopper and secure even and uni'- form feed of the material in thelargest hoppers.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopper, ofanv agitator in the lower par-t of said hopper, and a swinging vent pipein saidV hopper terminating adj a- -cent to said agitator. y

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2. In a device 'of the class described, the i combination with a hopper,of an agitator shaft extending horizontally through the lower part ofsaid hopper, and a plurality of vent pipes in said hopper terminatingadjacent to said agitator shaft, the lower ends of said pipes being freeto swing under the influence of the moving powder.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopperhaving inclined walls at the lower end, of an agitator shaft extendinghorizontally through the lower end of said hopper, and a vent pipe insaid hopper terminating adjacent to said agitator shaft, said vent pipebeing free to swing under the influence of the moving powder.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopperhaving inclined walls at the lower end, of an agitator shaft extendinghorizontally throughthe lower end of said hopper, a second agitatorshaft below said first named shaft and driven at a greater speed thansaid first named shaft, and a vent pipe in said hopper terminatingadjacent to said first named shaft, salid pipe being free to swing underthe influence of the moving powder.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopperhaving the opposing walls of its lower end each inclined at an angle ofsubstantially 30 degrees from the perpendicular, of an agitator shaftextending horizontally through the lower part of said hopper, and a.second agitator shaft below said first named shaft and driven at agreater speed than said first named shaft.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopperhaving the opposing walls of its lower end each inclined at an angle ofsubstantially 30 degrees from the perpendicular, of an agitator shaftextending horizontally through the lower part of said hopper, and a ventpipe in said hopper terminating adjacent to said shaft, said pipe beingfree to swing under the influence of the moving powder.

7 ln a device of the class described, the combination with ahopperhaving the walls of its lower end inclined at an angle of substantially30 degrees from the perpendicular, of an agitator shaft extendinghorizontally through the lower part of said hopper, a second agitatorshaft below said first named shaft and driven at a greater speed thansaid first named shaft, and a plurality of vent pipes in said hopperterminating adjacent to said first named shaft, said pipes being free toswing under the influence of the moving powder.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature, this 29th day ofDecember, 1927. CHESLEY T. SMALL.

